Dictionary Form vs Masu Form in Japanese

Dictionary Form vs Masu Form is one of those Japanese topics that looks tiny at first and then quietly shows up everywhere, like a cat sitting on your keyboard. Learn this pair well, and a lot of Japanese suddenly gets less mysterious.

For the broader learning path, visit our parent guide.

Here’s the simple idea: the dictionary form is the plain form you find in dictionaries, while the masu form is the polite form you use in many everyday situations. Both are normal. Both are useful. Japanese does not hand out one “correct” style and call it a day. That would be far too generous.

For a broader picture of Japanese politeness and plain style, it helps to compare this topic with plain vs polite Japanese, plain form Japanese, and masu form Japanese. If you want a quick outside reference for “dictionary form” as a language term, dictionary form is a good boring place to start.

Table of Contents

What These Two Forms Mean

Dictionary form is the basic form of a verb. It is the form you look up in a dictionary, and it is also the form used in casual speech, many grammar patterns, and sentence endings in plain Japanese.

Masu form is the polite form of a verb. It is softer, safer, and more formal than the dictionary form. If you are speaking to a stranger, a teacher, a customer, or anyone you want to treat politely, this form is your friendly default.

Form	Japanese Example	Rōmaji	English Meaning
Dictionary Form	食べる	taberu	to eat
Masu Form	食べます	tabemasu	eat / will eat (polite)
Dictionary Form	行く	iku	to go
Masu Form	行きます	ikimasu	go / will go (polite)

Useful Phrases And Real-Life Sentences

Below are common verbs in both forms. Notice how the meaning stays similar, while the tone changes. Japanese loves doing that: same idea, different social flavor.

Kanji	Rōmaji	English Meaning	Example Sentence	Rōmaji	English Translation
食べる	taberu	to eat	朝ご飯を食べる。	Asagohan o taberu.	I eat breakfast.
食べます	tabemasu	to eat (polite)	朝ご飯を食べます。	Asagohan o tabemasu.	I eat breakfast.
行く	iku	to go	学校へ行く。	Gakkō e iku.	I go to school.
行きます	ikimasu	to go (polite)	学校へ行きます。	Gakkō e ikimasu.	I go to school.
見る	miru	to see, to watch	映画を見る。	Eiga o miru.	I watch a movie.
見ます	mimasu	to see, to watch (polite)	映画を見ます。	Eiga o mimasu.	I watch a movie.
読む	yomu	to read	本を読む。	Hon o yomu.	I read a book.
読みます	yomimasu	to read (polite)	本を読みます。	Hon o yomimasu.	I read a book.
話す	hanasu	to speak	日本語で話す。	Nihongo de hanasu.	I speak in Japanese.
話します	hanashimasu	to speak (polite)	日本語で話します。	Nihongo de hanashimasu.	I speak in Japanese.
買う	kau	to buy	水を買う。	Mizu o kau.	I buy water.
買います	kaimasu	to buy (polite)	水を買います。	Mizu o kaimasu.	I buy water.

The Big Rule: Same Meaning, Different Tone

In many cases, dictionary form and masu form mean the same thing in English. The difference is not the action. The difference is the tone.

Use the dictionary form when you are being casual, reading grammar, using plain style, or talking with close friends. Use the masu form when you want to sound polite, respectful, or neutral.

Pattern	Meaning	Example	Rōmaji	English
Dictionary Form	plain / casual	行く	iku	to go
Masu Form	polite	行きます	ikimasu	to go (polite)
Dictionary Form	plain / casual	飲む	nomu	to drink
Masu Form	polite	飲みます	nomimasu	to drink (polite)

When To Use Dictionary Form

The dictionary form is common in everyday conversation with friends and family. It also appears in many grammar structures, such as verb quotes, requests, and connected actions. So yes, it is “plain,” but it is also doing a lot of work.

Typical uses include:

Talking casually with people you know well
Reading verbs in dictionaries
Using plain-form grammar patterns
Writing informal notes or texts
Describing habits, plans, or opinions in plain Japanese

Kanji	Rōmaji	English Meaning	Example Sentence	Rōmaji	English Translation
行く	iku	to go	明日、東京へ行く。	Ashita, Tōkyō e iku.	I’m going to Tokyo tomorrow.
飲む	nomu	to drink	水を飲む。	Mizu o nomu.	I drink water.
読む	yomu	to read	この本を読む。	Kono hon o yomu.	I read this book.
する	suru	to do	宿題をする。	Shukudai o suru.	I do homework.
来る	kuru	to come	友だちが来る。	Tomodachi ga kuru.	A friend is coming.

When To Use Masu Form

The masu form is the safe choice in many speaking situations. If you are not sure which style to use, polite form is usually the smarter move. It keeps your Japanese clean, respectful, and easy to place into real conversations without starting a social incident over one little verb ending.

Typical uses include:

Speaking to strangers
Talking in shops, restaurants, or public settings
Using polite written Japanese
Speaking to teachers, coworkers, or older people
Sounding neutral and respectful

Kanji	Rōmaji	English Meaning	Example Sentence	Rōmaji	English Translation
行きます	ikimasu	to go (polite)	明日、東京へ行きます。	Ashita, Tōkyō e ikimasu.	I’m going to Tokyo tomorrow.
飲みます	nomimasu	to drink (polite)	お茶を飲みます。	Ocha o nomimasu.	I drink tea.
読みます	yomimasu	to read (polite)	新聞を読みます。	Shinbun o yomimasu.	I read the newspaper.
します	shimasu	to do (polite)	勉強をします。	Benkyō o shimasu.	I study.
来ます	kimasu	to come (polite)	先生が来ます。	Sensei ga kimasu.	The teacher is coming.

Mini Comparison: Same Sentence, Different Style

Look at these pairs. Same idea. Different social temperature.

Dictionary Form	Masu Form	What Changes?
私はパンを食べる。	私はパンを食べます。	Politeness changes; meaning stays close.
友だちに会う。	友だちに会います。	The sentence becomes more polite.
今日、家に帰る。	今日、家に帰ります。	Casual vs polite tone.
この本を読む。	この本を読みます。	The verb ending changes, not the action.

How The Forms Change

For many verbs, the masu form is made by changing the ending of the dictionary form. You do not need to memorize the whole language in one heroic afternoon. Start by noticing patterns.

Dictionary Form	Masu Form	Rōmaji	Note
食べる	食べます	taberu → tabemasu	る changes to ます
見る	見ます	miru → mimasu	る changes to ます
行く	行きます	iku → ikimasu	く changes to きます
話す	話します	hanasu → hanashimasu	す changes to します
読む	読みます	yomu → yomimasu	む changes to みます

Common Mistakes And Fixes

Here are a few mistakes that show up a lot. Good news: they are easy to fix once you notice them.

Common Mistake	Why It Happens	Better Version
Using dictionary form in a polite situation	It can sound too casual	Use masu form: 行きます
Using masu form in a casual sentence every time	It can sound stiff with close friends	Use dictionary form when appropriate: 行く
Thinking dictionary form is “less Japanese”	That is simply not true	It is a normal, essential form
Thinking masu form is only for beginners	Polite form is used by all levels	Adults use it constantly

Dictionary form is not “basic Japanese” in the tiny, beginner-only sense. It is basic in the serious language sense: the root form that opens the door to tons of grammar.

Practice: Spot The Form

Read each sentence and decide whether it uses dictionary form or masu form. Then check the tone. Easy? Maybe. Sneakily useful? Absolutely.

私はコーヒーを飲む。
私はコーヒーを飲みます。
友だちと話す。
友だちと話します。
駅へ行く。
駅へ行きます。

Answer key:

飲む = dictionary form
飲みます = masu form
話す = dictionary form
話します = masu form
行く = dictionary form
行きます = masu form

Quick Reference Summary

Form	Use It For	Tone
Dictionary Form	Plain speech, grammar patterns, casual writing	Casual / neutral
Masu Form	Polite speech, formal situations, safe default	Polite / respectful

Think of it this way: the dictionary form is the everyday shape of the verb, and the masu form is the polite outfit. Same person, different occasion.

If you want to test whether this lesson is really sticking, try a quick check at the Japanese vocabulary test or the Japanese placement test JLPT. Those little reality checks are rude, but helpful.

Dictionary form vs masu form is not just a grammar chart. It is your first real step into how Japanese changes tone without changing the core meaning. Once that clicks, Japanese stops feeling like one giant blur and starts behaving like an actual system. Annoying at times, yes. Predictable too.